‘Catio’ outdoor play area for cats opens

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — The Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office Animal Protective Services opened their new outdoor addition to the shelter funded by at $2,500 grant.

The “catio” is a play area for cats that provides the cats in the shelter a safe, outside area for play, exercise and socialization. Lieutenant Tommy Tolley says the project took a year to create and the structure was built by local jail inmates.

“About 25% of cats that come into this shelter we are able to find homes for, others we are unfortunately not,” said Lt. Tolley. “We need the help of the community to lower the intake numbers coming into our shelter.”

Lieutenant Tolley said you can help lower the numbers by getting your pets spayed and neutered.

He also said keeping your pets contained will greatly decrease the amount of animals forced into shelters.